Pubdate: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 Source: Maple Ridge Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2008 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc Contact: http://www.mrtimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1372 Author: Amy Steele Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Marijuana - Canada) EX-MAYORAL CANDIDATE CONVICTED OF DEALING DRUGS Former mayoral candidate and Guilty Pleasures sex shop owner William Walker Perry was found guilty Friday of three counts of trafficking in marijuana and one count of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. Perry was charged after a two-month police investigation in the spring of 2008 during which Perry sold marijuana to an undercover cop on three occasions. Police then executed a search warrant on his business and found a total of 285 grams of marijuana there, as well as other drug paraphernalia. During his trial Perry was unrepresented by a lawyer and declined to cross-examine any witnesses or to present any defence evidence despite Provincial Court Judge Pedro de Couto adjourning the trial for half a day to give him time to consider whether or not to call any evidence or to get legal representation. When court resumed after the adjournment de Couto said it was Perry's choice whether to call any defence evidence but he had given him every opportunity to do so. "I note for the record throughout my comments...Mr. Perry has his ears plugged with his fingers and his eyes closed," said de Couto. "He has elected to stand mute as he has done throughout this trial." When Perry wasn't sitting with his hands covering his ears and his eyes closed he was reading from the Bible, sometimes with his lips moving as he read. After the Crown prosecutor made his closing arguments, de Couto asked Perry if he wanted to make any submissions but Perry ignored him. de Couto ordered a pre-sentencing report for Perry and his sentencing hearing has been adjourned until the report is completed. Perry has been in jail since he was arrested in May. This is the second time he's been convicted of selling marijuana out of his sex shop. Perry was convicted in 2007 of selling marijuana out of Guilty Pleasures and given an 18-month conditional sentence. Perry has told the media that he ran for mayor in 2005 after being charged. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake